Astraphobia
by Karmaaijin
Summary: Yuna mentions in her memoirs that Rikku has gotten over her fear of thunder by camping out in the Thunder Plains. This is my take on what might have happened to help her fear. Notice the rating please for lemony goodness


Astraphobia

Rikku stood in Guadosalam staring at the entrance to the Thunder Plains. She still couldn't believe she was going to do this but if it would finally get people to stop laughing at her then so be it. Taking a deep fortifying breath, she left Guadosalam and took the first steps into the Plains. Lightning flashed and thunder boomed so loudly it seemed to shake the ground. Rikku whimpered and adjusted the backpack on her shoulder before walking to the side of the road.

Once she was out of the path she dropped her pack and pulled out a tent. Quickly setting it up, she crawled inside to shield herself from the rain. More lightning flashed and another crash of thunder sounded across the sky. She gave a small scream and wrapped her arms around her knees as she rocked back and forth.

Gippal climbed off his hover when he reached Guadosalam. He had a meeting to get to in Bevelle and had decided to stop at Rin's for the night in the Thunder Plains. Going through the entrance to the Thunder Plains, he looked up at the lightning towers and hoped they were still working. He knew that the Al Bhed had fixed them but according to past precedent it was still best to be cautious. Looking across the Plains, he could see Rin's Travel Agency and he started to hurry that way. After another particularly loud crash of thunder he heard a woman's scream. Immediately thinking of fiends, he ran toward the sound.

A little ways off the road he could see a tent and stopped in front of it. Stooping down to look inside he saw none other than Cid's Girl with her hands over her ears.

Rikku rocked back and forth while she said to herself, "Ed lyh'd rind sa." (It can't hurt me.)

"Well what do ya know. Didn't think I'd run into you here," Gippal said with a smirk.

A deep voice penetrated her mantra and she opened her eyes. "Gippal!" she exclaimed.

"I heard a scream and thought someone was in trouble but I guess it was only you. Afraid of a little storm?" Gippal teased.

"Of course not!" Rikku said. "I'm not afraid of anything! I was a guardian to the high summoner who defeated Sin you know."

"So I heard. I guess you have grown up a little bit Cid's Girl."

"I've told you not to call me that!"

She was about to hit him in anger when another lightning and thunder strike hit. Going back into her fetal position, she screamed again and clapped her hands over her ears. Gippal looked at her concerned and crawled into the tent to sit next to her. Unsure how to comfort her, he merely put a hand on her shoulder. He took the time to assess her appearance. Her blonde hair was longer than last time he saw her and it was held up by a purple bandana around her head. She had ditched the old shirt in favor of a small yellow bikini that left nothing to the imagination and a yellow and orange scarf around her neck. The short green shorts had been replaced with an even smaller green skirt with yellow pouches on the front. Her hands were covered in brown fingerless gloves and her arms were adorned with cream sleeves attached to her arms with bows. Finally her boots finished the ensemble that were shorter than the old ones and therefore showed more leg. All in all it was apparent to him that she was not a little girl anymore. And if Cid knew the thoughts that were going through his head he could kiss that promotion to the Machine Faction goodbye.

Rikku had finally calmed down from her last scare and she was brushing a couple stray tears from her cheeks. "What're you doing out here anyway?" Gippal asked.

"I'm trying to get over my fear of thunder," Rikku mumbled. When he didn't respond she looked up at him and said, "Aren't you going to laugh at me or something."

He gave her a strange look and said, "Why would I make fun of you?"

"Because that's what everyone else does."

"I wouldn't make fun of you for being afraid. Everyone's afraid of something," Gippal said.

"What are you afraid of Gippal?"

"I'm not afraid of anything. I'm not like everyone else," he replied with a smile.

She laughed and stretched her legs out in front of her. Another crack of thunder sounded and she shrieked. He winced at the high pitch scream and before he knew it she had jumped in his lap. His arms went around her in surprise and she buried her face in his neck. After the initial shock wore off he slowly became aware of her body against his. Her breasts against his chest. Her shapely ass in his lap. He tried to push the thoughts from his mind but they persisted. Finally he came to a decision and he wrapped and arm around her waist while the other went to the back of her neck.

"You know what the problem is?" he asked massaging her neck soothingly.

"What?" she mumbled sitting up straight to be able to look at him.

"You just need to relax," he said before his head descended and he captured her lips with his.

It was a simple, chaste, closed mouthed kiss and he felt her hands come to his shoulders. He thought for a moment that she was going to push him away but then her arms relaxed and she dug her fingers into his shoulders before draping her arms around his neck. She began to kiss him back and he took it a step further. His tongue gently probed at her lips and he felt her stiffen again for a moment before she slowly let her lips open. He groaned as his tongue began to explore her mouth and he turned to gently press her to the ground.

She continued to clutch at his shoulders and he slowly moved his hands to rest on her bare waist. When she didn't object he trailed one hand up her ribs to the bottom of her bikini. Once his hand finally covered her soft breast he tore his mouth from hers with a groan and his lips trailed down her neck.

Her fingers dug into his shoulder as she gasped, "What're you doing?"

He lifted his head enough to be able to look in her eyes and replied, "I'm helping you relax."

All other intelligent thought left her mind when his hand reached under the fabric of her bikini to stroke her erect nipple. She gasped as he gently pinched it between his thumb and forefinger. Then she felt his fingers pulling at the scarf around her neck. The tent suddenly felt so hot that she couldn't bear the few clothes she had on. Helping him pull off the scarf, she threw it across the tent and again wrapped her arms around him. His fingers fought clumsily with the ties on her bikini and when he finally got it untied he ripped it away from her and immediately encased her nipple with his mouth. She cried out and speared her fingers into his thick blonde hair. They met the strap of his eye patch and she absently played with it while he continued his ministrations at her chest.

Finally he pulled away from her nipple and ran his hands down her sides and to her skirt. His mouth followed the trail leaving hot, wet kisses until he got to the waistband. Pushing the skirt down her long smooth legs, he sat up away from her long enough to take off her boots and the scrap she called a skirt. Now that she was in just her underwear and those sleeves she was beginning to feel the situation wasn't even. Her hands went to the front of his shirt and began undoing it.

"You have too many clothes on," she said pulling his shirt out of the waistband of his pants and over his head.

"Yes I am," he said with a smile.

He rolled away from her long enough to pull off his boots and pants. While he did that she pulled off her gloves and sleeves and was reaching for her underwear when his had stopped her. "I'd like the honor of taking those off," he said rolling on top of her again.

"Only if I can take yours off," she said pulling his head down for a kiss.

She felt his hand on her underwear and he pulled away to watch as he peeled them off. Wriggling under his scrutiny, she started to raise her hands to cover herself.

He caught her wrists and forced her hands to her sides again. "Tuh'd. Oui'na payidevim." (Don't. You're beautiful.)

She could feel a blush heating her cheeks and she felt it spread when he reached for his own undergarments. She looked away while he bared himself and he leaned down to gently touch his lips to hers. "You're not getting shy on me now are you? What happened to the guardian that helped defeat Sin?"

That last statement made her look at him and she said, "I'm not afraid of anything!"

She boldly reached out and grasped his erection. He dropped his forehead to her shoulder and groaned. She lightly brushed her fingers back and forth until he groaned again. "You're torturing me," he growled.

She gave him a cheeky grin and replied, "Good."

"Two can play at that game." He trialed a hand to her thighs and gently spread them. When there was enough room he moved his hand between her thighs and gently caressed her.

She gasped and gave a soft scream at the pleasure that coursed through her body. His thumb explored a little until he found her clit and gently stroked it. Another cry escaped her throat and he leaned down to capture a nipple between his lips. While he continued to play with her clit he gently pushed his forefinger inside her. She continued to writhe in pleasure beneath him and he couldn't take it anymore. Releasing her nipple from his mouth he moved up to kiss her again and positioned himself between her legs.

He pulled away from her lips and said, "This may hurt a little but I promise I'll try to hurt you as little as possible. Do you trust me?"

She cupped his face in her hands and said, "Yes."

Pulling his head down, she caught his lips in an intense kiss and felt him gently probe at her entrance. When the tip was inside her he gave her another gentle reassuring kiss and thrust powerfully inside her. She gasped in pain and he felt her nails dig into his shoulders. He stayed absolutely still above her and he felt her slowly relax and her hands finally gave up their death grip on his shoulders. When she was relaxed under him again he slowly began to thrust inside her. She gasped as her passion started to rise again.

He panted and whispered heavily in her ear, "Oui'na cu dekrd." (You're so tight.)

"Tuh'd cyo drehkc mega dryd. Ed'c aspynnyccehk," she replied on a gasp. (Don't say things like that. It's embarrassing.)

"But you feel so good Rikku," he said thrusting again.

He reached a hand between their bodies and found her clit. Tweaking it a couple times with his finger he felt her body begin to tense. Rikku felt like her body was going to explode and then it did but it felt so good. Light flashed behind her eyelids and she wrapped her arms and legs tight around him as she was swept away by the pleasure. He felt her body tighten around him and he felt his own orgasm approaching. The tension finally broke and he came with her. Her scream of pleasure split the air just as another flash of lightning and crash of thunder hit.

After a few seconds he rolled off her to lie on his side next to her. "And in case you didn't notice the lightning and thunder hasn't bothered you," he said with a grin.

She lightly punched his arm and said, "That's because I was a little busy."

More lightning flashed and thunder crashed but she merely looked up at the roof of the tent with a smile. She looked over at him and rolled over until her head rested on his chest. "Where were you going before you got distracted by me?" she asked.

"I have a meeting in Bevelle tomorrow so I was going to spend the night at Rin's," he said wrapping an arm around her waist.

She absently traced her fingers over his chest and said, "You could stay here instead."

He turned his head to look at her and said, "I think I'd like here a lot better than Rin's." Smiling, he lowered his head and kissed her.

One Year Later

Gippal was shocked to see Yuna, Rikku and, Paine at Djose applying to dig in the desert of all things. Looking at Rikku brought all the memories of that night back and he couldn't help but tease her by calling her Cid's Girl again. When he led them to the bridge and asked them if they really wanted to dig he really wanted to take Rikku back to the temple and have a reenactment of that night. But he restrained himself. When they were leaving he couldn't resist messing with her a little and stepped in front of her before she could follow her friends.

He leaned down so that his face was mere inches from hers and said, "Do you still think of me when you see lightning and hear thunder?" He took satisfaction in the blush that flooded her cheeks. "Because I think of you."

He gave her a quick kiss before stepping around her and going back to the temple. If that didn't get her to come back for more then he was no kind of tactician at all.


End file.
